Porter's Birthday

I cannot believe that my baby is turning one!
He definately has made life a little more "wilde" around here, but I can't even begin to imagine life without him.
Lately, he is into bugs. He loves bugs and can actually say "bug." Although, he does call many things that aren't bugs, bug-- but I don't mind one bit because I love hearing his cute little masculine voice. When he does see a bug he immediately tries to catch it. He gets pretty frustrated by those little buggers. Today, he got upset while we were walking home from the mailbox, I was carrying him and he wanted to be down on the ground instead of in my arms. So, I put him down . . . he very quickly found some ants and tried his hardest to get a hold of one of them. I quickly scooped him up and rushed back home, with him pointing and crying, "bug."
We all love our little Port so much!
Happy Birthday Bubba!

Travis Wanted to Post Pictures

Top Ten Reasons I haven't updated all summer long (I'm sure there are more . . .)

10. I have four kids! Isn't that enough? I keep thinking there will be a day when I'm not so tired and worn out anymore. But it doesn't happen. What would I do if Porter weren't such a good baby?

(Three of the four, Porter is usually on my hip)
9. Machine-Pitch Baseball and T-ball. Travis coached both Tyler's and Abby's team this year. The games only conflicted once, but luckily we had some great parents who helped out as well. I was just on the phone a lot with reminder calls, taking care of treats, letting players know the game has or has not been cancelled because of rain. Oh, and washing all the shirts and pants. Tyler loves to slide and when you have two games a week . . . And Abby just thinks she needs to wear her shirt every day.
8. I've been preparing for and teaching the reading and writing class for Tyler and friends (11 in all) that I taught each Thursday. I was kind of nervous at first, I've only ever taught high school kids. But, it was lots of fun and the kids were really cute. Kids really are the best writers. On the last class I held a poetry slam. Tyler and his cute friend Cori tied, and in the final heat Cori ended up winning.
7. Family visitors from Texas and Cali. We really had fun playing and bonding. All the Alvey's even made it up to the cabin for an Alvey family reunion. We miss them all and wish they lived closer!!
6. Speaking of the cabin . . . we were up there every free weekend trying to get the water fixed. Which, we finally did! Yahoo . . . yes, there is now running water inside the cabin. Now, we just have to save up to replace the busted water heater. Ask Abby, the bath water can be pretty cold.

(We did take time for more than just work though.)
5. Doing laundry, mostly from the cabin. I brought home all the sheets from the beds and washed them. I brought home the comforters and sleeping bags and washed them. I even brought home the couch cushions--washed them and had to re-stuff them. Yes, I'm paranoid about rodents, but atleast now I know it's all clean.
4. Everytime I'm on the computer it is for Travis' work. I've been busy doing 2nd quarter taxes, entering bills, paying bills, reconciling bank statement. You know, lots of fun stuff.
3. Celebrating all manner of summer holidays i.e. my birthday, 4th of July, 24th of July, Flag day (okay, I actually didn't celebrate this day, but Travis did get to do flags), Father's day, etc. etc. etc.
(Lighting fireworks with our friends the Chuchrans.)

2. Being pampered and surprised for the first 10 days of August for our 10th Wedding Anniversary. Travis was really cute and thoughtful this year. He knew we didn't have the money to spend on a cruise, like we've been wanting to do for the last five years, so instead he wrote me a letter and came up with a surprise for each year of our marriage. For instance, on August 1st we all went up to Ensign Peak were he proposed and opened the first letter up there. On August 2nd we drove down to BYU campus--which the kids loved. Even though it was Sunday, the Eyering Science Building was still open and they loved looking at all the cool science stuff. We also raced down the "stairs from Hell" and fed the ducks in the duck pond. On other days he gave me oven mits (which I've been needing since our wedding), we got to go to lunch, at the cabin I went on a treasure hunt for some jewlery . . . he did a good job. I'm so lucky to be married to the best man in the world!
1. I kept feeling guilt for never posting about our Florida trip the end of May, and since nothing else really could compare to it, I figured what really is the point?

(Emma at the beach in FL)

But, school is starting in a week . . . who knows, maybe I'll become a better poster again. Then again, maybe not : 0

Just a couple quick ones from the cabin . . .

So, we made a quick trip up to the cabin. It was a mess. The loggers have left it looking like a junk pit. So we worked a lot. But we had a lot of fun too! The kids loved it. And we decided that as soon as we get the water working then the kids and I will start going down for a few days at a time. The work was actually pretty theraputic for me.
We had a short devotional (6/27) over the camp fire Sat. night to remember Joseph and Hyrum Smith's martyrdom, and a short testimony meeting in the special place Sunday in lieu of churh. Abby thought it was the best church she's ever been too. And I kind of agree. If the gospel weren't so gosh darn true it would be easy to become a Quaker. Oh, well . . . it was a nice break from the world.

March/April Update

So, it's been a while . . . I've been meaning to update for weeks, but time just seems to fly away from me.
So, here is a quick rundown of the last couple months.
March 4th Dads and Doughnuts and Abby's kindergarten check-up. Abgby thought the peeing in the cup thing was real weird. She couldn't figure it out. Everything else went real well. She was so brave during her shots, she told me she wouldn't cry if I held her hand, and she didn't. She came home trying to get Emma to pee in a cup while they played doctors that afternoon. We had to have a nice long talk about that one.
March 5th Draper Temple Open House--this was so awesome. Emma was really worried about riding the bus, but once we got on she settled down. The kids loved everything about it. They loved the sealing room and Abby kept trying to climb up on the chairs to look in the mirrors. She asks every week when she gets to go back to the temple.
March 6-7th YM campout (if you could call it that, Travis all ready updated)
March 11th Travis' 33rd birthday!! The girls were pretty sad that Daddy had to go to work, they wanted to be with him all day long.
March 12th Date night with Abby and Emma. Tyler and Porter went to my mom's house and Travis and I got to take our little princesses to Disney on Ice. The girls had a blast, Emma loved all the Tinkerbell parts (Tink is her favorite). I must admidt, I thought it was a little long, but it was so fun just to watch the girls reaction to everything! I have darling girls and it was fun for Trav and I to get to spend some time with just them.
March 13-14th Youth Conference. After two weekends in a row we definately missed our Daddy.
March 14th (3.14... aka Pi(e) Day) Trav got home for youth conference and we hurried and ate and ran over to our friends house for Pie Day. I love pie, and it was so fun to get together and, well, eat pie. Porter was ornery though and so we did leave a little early to g put him to bed.
March 15th Tyler's Birthday!!! My oldest, little boy turned eight! I still can't believe he is so grown up. We had a wonderful day. Since his birthday was on Sunday, he asked that Travis and I skip our meetings for that day. So we did (all except our YSA mtg, Travis did run to that one at 4:30). But, thanks to Ty's request, it was a great day for all of us! Since we don't have church until 1:00, we spent the morning showering Ty with breakfast in bed, presents, and undivided attention (playing his new Xbox Harry Potter game). Instead of a cake, Tyler wanted homemade doughnuts for his birthday treat . . . and so after church the kids had fun helping roll out the dough and using rings from my bottles to make doughnuts (we used pill bottles for the doughnut holes). While they were rising, we got to watch the space shuttle launch live via internet. It was so totally cool and I cannot wait until we go to Florida and hopefully get to see a live shuttle launch live. Ty requested homemade alfredo for dinner, and then his cousins, grandma and grandpa and neighbors all stopped by too. All in all, it was a great birthday!
March 16th Ty's other G&G came to visit for FHE and to shower Ty with more presenets.
March 17th Preschool field trip to Tracey Aviary. I had never been there, and it was really cool. Abby loved the boy, peacocks. As she told everyone, they have to be pretty to make the girls fall in love with them.
March 19th Travis and Tyler skiing! (See Travis' post) and Acheivement Day Girls' Mother-Daughter activity. As 1st counselor in the primary, I'm over the Acheivement Day girls and help plan all the big activities. We found out just prior to our activity that another ward also had the cultural hall at our church reserved for their RS b-day dinner. So, we wree doing so last minute scrambling, but everything turned out great. We had a great activity talking about temples.
March 22nd Tyler's bishop interview to be baptized. Travis took the girls to have breakfast with his Dad, and I got to go with Tyler to his interview. I was so proud as I sat next to Ty as he nervously talked with the Bishop. He really is a great boy!
March 22nd only one hour of church! Do I sound a little happy? It was wonderful. Our ward only did one hour so those who wanted to attend the Temple Dedication would have the opportunity.
March 24th Abby's 5th Birthday!! The night before we decorated her poster for school . . . and after breakfast in bed, she was so excited to go to school and show off her poster to all the kids in her preschool class. After school G&G Wilde came over and showered the girls with presents. Abby had gotten so many crafty projects for her birthday that she spend most of the day making things! Abby had puffy pancakes for dinner, then so got to go to young men's with her dad. So loves going to yms and this was the perfect activity--it was a yw/ym combined Bigger & Better scavenger hunt. She had a blast! And she got a pink princess birthday cake.
March 25th Emma's 3th Birthday!! Emma was so happy that her birthday was FINALLY here. She loved getting all the attention. She wouldn't let her brother or sister eat breakfast in bed with her. And actually, she ended up coming in the kitchen too, because she didn't want to be alone! She was showered by more gifts from G&G Wilde, Aunt Lisa, and G&G Alvey. We went to CHuck-E-Cheese's for dinner. They had a blast! And Emma loved her purple ice cream cake. It was pretty good, if I say so myself!
March 26th Emma's 3-year doctor appointment. She only had to have one shot and she got a birthday surprise--she loves Dr. Weipert!
March 26th Tyler got to go to scouts for the first time!
March 28th Scouting for Food drive. Kids start getting sick.
March 30th Emma and Porter went to doctor's. Both of them had ear infections! All of the kids are sick, but Tyler is on the mend, I think!
March 31st Abby went to the doctors. Luckily no ear infection, but she still thought she was so sick she was going to die.
April 2nd Porter feeling better, but had his 6month doctor's appointment. More shots :( He's in the 90% for height and 45% for weight.
April 4-5th Conference weekend, everyone still sort-of sick. BUt it was so beautiful, we spent most of Sat. with the windows open and most of Sunday outside listening to conference.
April 6th Tyler still sick and staying home from school.
April 7th Abby's field trip to IFA to see the chicks and ducks. They were out of most of them. But we saw some chicks and a bunny. THen we went to the park. It was a beautiful day!
April 8th RS birthday dinner.
April 9th pack meeting. Yes, we are now a scouting family. Tyler got his Bobcat! He loves scouts and looks awesome in his scout uniform.
April 11th Tyler's Baptism. It was so cool!! I've been to many baptisms, but never as the mom of the kids being baptized. There was such an awesome spirit. Tyler was so excited, and he looked so handsome. I am so proud of him for his decision. He is an awesome son, and I am so lucky to be his mom. Thanks to all the family that helped and came to share in this memorable occasion.
April 12th Easter. Yes, the Easter bunny found our house. But, it was pretty low key, which was nice. The girls had gotten their easter dresses the day before so they could wear them to their brother's baptism. My sister and her kids came to church with us.
April 12-16th Spring Break. My sister, Jane and two of her kids Aidan and Claire got to visit us for the week. Abby and Emma loved having a constant friend. And Adain and Tyler had a lot of fun together too. But, little Porter fell in love with his Aunt Jane and misses her so much. We had a fun cousins party at G&G Alvey's house. The kids went to a movie, they had a cousin's sleep over and G&G Alvey's (and the adults got to go to dinner), and many other fun activities. All-in-all it was a fun break from school.
April 17-19th We all got sick again! Okay, everyone except for Ty. And it was horrible!!
Thats the run-down!
There would be too many pictures to post. So, maybe I'll post some later of the baptism and stuff.

Ski Day

So Tyler skipped out on school and I skipped out on work and we went skiing. I had a great time being with my oldest boy. It was nice just to hang with him and be in his world for a day. Last year he snowboarded so it had been almost two years since he last skied. On the first run I was a little nervous about how he was going to do because he fell quite a few times. By the second run he was doing better, and by the third run he was flying past me egging me on. Luckily I never fell but he did. I think I did impress him with my no wipe out day. He loved going in the terrain park and going over the hills and on some of the features there. The kid is brave. By the end of the day he was flying through the slush and I was amazed. I love that boy of mine. When I was taking his picture on one of the hills he told me later he didn't like it because he didn't know how to pose to make it look good. Loved the day and love my son. Also you know when his mom doesn't come with us we will forget something--Lunch and sunscreen. I am going to look like one of those freaks who can't lie about where there were yesterday at work. I look like a red raccoon.

 

Young Men "Campout" and extreme sledding

So I had the oportunity to go with the Priests and Teachers on a "Campout". We were fortunate to stay at the Laford/Peck Cabin up near Fairview. It was a rough camp. Didn't think the Jazz were gonna pull out the win. Good thing we were blessed with Direct TV. The bed I slept in was a whole lot better than my air mattress from our last campout. After cereal in the morning, (I thought teens slept in on Saturday) we went sledding and "sledding".  It was a great time. So here is some video and pictures from our campout. Best winter camp I have ever been on. Sorry to Tyson and Rylan for being so helpful while I zoned out and watched the game last night.